Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Puerto Rico: A dangerous snake in the America's backyard and how to deal with it

Assessment The cardinal social feature of today's Puerto Rico is a perversion of power by the local FBI branch and the corrupt political elites, deeply infested and subverted by the rabid, vengeful, leftist nationalism and anti-Americanism, although half-dead, running around like a chicken with its head cut-off, but still dangerous, potent, full of hate for the American military; poisonous, suppressive and exploitative of their own people, who are beautiful, sweet, talented, artistic, but utterly helpless against this hypocrisy, skillful coercion, and oppression, condemned in their mass to the abject, horrific, third world, hunger filled poverty and the conditioned slavish obedience to the petty and abusive, Latin American style, omnipotent and omnipresent, pervasive choking hold of the "Policia". Economically, the problem is that they steal and rob, anything they can get their eyes and hands on, pettily but masterfully, with gusto and dedication, trained by, and taking the revengeful advantage of the years of benign and benevolent (as if toward the lovable, but spoiled and unruly children) neglect and mindless pouring of billions and billions of dollars without the proper controls and supervision, left to the inapplicable in this situation balances of the market forces, and without the true and correct, free from any ideological illusions, understanding of this complex situation, including its historical-psychological aspects and the peculiarities of the pirate-like, "buccaneer" mentality, which is, essentially, the cult and the most favorite sport on the Island. The appointment of the Financial Oversight Review Board is the belated reaction to the grim reality and it is not sufficient, the broad and deep assessment of the situation is due, before the adequate, well thought out interventions and the direly needed, but the correctly directed and applied help and assistance are provided. RecommendationsDisregard completely what I just have written above, these might be the impressions shaped by the individual subjective experiences (which were, by the way, described to some extent, previously, in my blogs). Do your own, Congressional and Presidential studies and the research of the situation, they should be, of course, and as always, in-depth, objective, independent, facts-based, comprehensive, and multi-dimensional. Take all the factors, in their entirety and the complex interactions and interplay, into the consideration. The Puerto Rican people have already expressed their will to join the Union as the new state in a previous referendum; the new poll, which most likely, will confirm and affirm this prevalent disposition, is coming up soon. But the new State will not be born by a miracle of the present day "banana republic with the American air conditioning", in J. E. Hoover's apt words. The Island is not ready for the statehood for a variety of reasons and problems, which have to be resolved in the transitional (about 10 years, as proposed), period, and all the aspects, including the human rights issues, the cultural and the transcultural, the linguistic, and the social-psychological issues have to be included in the transitional adjustment mechanism. Both the mainland and the Island will benefit greatly from the proposed statehood, but it has to be done right, otherwise the unresolved issues and problems might dangerously infect the whole country and might create the vicious cycles of their own. I share the idea and support the plan for the strengthening of the Southern border, it is very important and vital for the maintaining of the proper security. The situation with Puerto Rico, considering its semi-porous or the quarter-porous borders with the Caribbean and the Latin America, is no less important, especially in the light of the predatory designs and plans at the infiltration and influence by Russia, China, Iran, and others. The security situation in Puerto Rico has to be addressed in all its aspects and in its entirety, including preserving and enhancing the Island's geopolitical function as the Bridge to the Latin American regions, as the symbol of the hand of American friendship and the renewed vision, extended to them. The independent, objective, thorough, in-depth investigations of the local FBI branch (with the exception of its newly appointed outsider chief), and of the much feared and the much sought after by the many and various "informants", "half-informants", and "aspiring informants", as the power sharing and the power protective device, "Policia", and the other power structures, for at least the last 15-20 years, are absolutely needed: if you want to prevent the possible future infections that might affect the whole body, assess the state of immunity, the underlying problems and their causes in the affected part. A lot more can and should be said, and to be researched on this subject, but at the moment I am too busy and too preoccupied with the other pressing issues. Michael Novakhov 1.25.17

Translation: @ Lin_Manuel gets the news of his # Oscar2017 nomination in the middle of the recording of Mary Poppins in London. The statement was issued. Study it carefully, poco lenin e poco stalin. Zeleporcas.

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Published on Dec 23, 2014
Paintings - Escha Van Den Bogerd
Http://www.eschasgallery.com/
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have a deep trouble, think of me
If you feel like crying, think of me
You see I revere your divine image
Your mouth, that being such a girl
Taught me to sin

Think of me when you suffer,
When you cry, also think of me,
When you want to take my life
I do not want it at all
It does not serve me without you.

Think of me when you suffer
When you cry, also think of me,
When you want to take my life
I do not want it, at all,
It does not serve me without you.

Police officers of Puerto Rico detained this morning the young artist Johan Figueroa, who painted full of white interpreted a statue in the Plaza de Armas of El Viejo San Juan in the beginning of the celebration of the famous San Sebastian Street Festivities.

As he explained earlier this year in an interview with the newspaper INDEX, there is a municipal ordinance that prohibits what the young man was doing at the source of the aforementioned plaza.

"They came to remove me because according to a municipal ordinance could not be inside the source and for the effects of them being on the source is to be inside. But I armed myself, mutinied and went with a group of people to the Protocol Office and demanded to stay, "he said earlier this year.

On that occasion he said that he had come to an agreement with the mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulín Cruz to make his performance in the Plaza.

Figueroa is not a rookie, it is not his first time as a statue. In his work as a stage artist he has spent seven years visiting the Plaza, sculpting himself.

Images of the time of the arrest were uploaded to the social network Facebook.

The times of Puerto Rico as the "banana republic with American air conditioning" are gone. The times of statehood: equality and prosperity are coming.

"Did FBI and Justice Dept. Enable Puerto Rico’s Financial Meltdown?", asks Richard Lawless ("Observer", June 27, 2016), claiming that "the FBI and DOJ stood by while government officials in Puerto Rico committed $11 billion dollars in financial fraud". But deeper and much more sinister aspects, including the national security implications, emerge from this claim:

"I was told that Puerto Rico came on his agency’s radar years ago because the head of the PREPA fuel purchase office started making direct calls to the then-president of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez. An agency listened in and found out that PREPA was buying sludge oil from Venezuela and billing the utility for high grade oil. The difference in value—hundreds of millions per year (today it would be $700 million a year and is said to be still going on)—was allegedly kicked back to the fuel office manager and distributed to politicians and government officials on the island.

As the unnamed government agency continued to listen in on the calls, the caller claimed it became clear that family members of Puerto Rican FBI agents and family members in the Puerto Rico U.S. Attorney’s office were receiving payments based on these “kickbacks.”

He went on to tell me that the Puerto Rico’s FBI office and U.S. Attorney will do nothing about the oil kickback scheme and the bond rating scheme because they were participating in it."

What did Chavez get in return? I doubt that he did it just out of the goodness of his big leftist heart and his pure love for the Puerto Rican people.

Did he get some favourable terms in immigration matters, to get his agents on the Island, and then to the US mainland, for his (and Russian and Iranian Intelligence) purposes?

Were some of the stolen money ("today it would be $700 million a year and is said to be still going on") diverted to sponsor the anti-American activities? This is a grave and alarming matter which might be just a tip of the iceberg, and it demands the very thorough, in-depth, and comprehensive investigations, from all points of view and angles, including the local branch of the FBI, the Police, and DOJ, for at least last 10-15 years.

"The irony in the Puerto Rico debt story is that the island is blessed with abundant sunshine, a resource that is all but ignored in the plan to switch the power authority from its current imported-oil-dependent grid to one tied almost completely to imported natural gas.

Now it is understandable what are the reasons for this "resistance" to switch to solar energy: they will not be able to steal from the PREPA oil deals.

"The 2014 budget bill included $2.5 million in funding for a future vote in Puerto Rico's political status. This referendum can be held at any time, as there is no deadline attached to the funds.[18][19] The referendum may be an issue in the 2016 Puerto Rico gubernatorial election.[20]" Where is the money for PR statehood referendum? Have they been disbursed? Do they intend to steal it too? Investigate the crooked governor AGP and his "parasites"! Investigate the PR branch of the FBI and its previous leadership! Investigate the PR division of DOJ! The much suffering Puerto Rican people, reduced to abject poverty, hunger, diseases, disenfranchised from the corrupt and rotten political system are the victims of their own incompetent politicians. Revamp this contagious, dangerous, stinking cesspool! Statehood for Puerto Rico is the only viable solution. Schedule the referendum simultaneously with the 2016 gubernatorial elections. "FBI Director Hoover often complained that “Gov. Muñoz Marín wants his own banana republic, with American air conditioning.” This was an accurate and astute observation."The times of the "banana republic with American air conditioning" (this is Hoover's brilliant phrase, and you have to give him a credit for it) are gone. Now it becomes evident that they were stealing even this little modicum of comfort and consolation from their people. The times of statehood: equality and prosperity are coming. This is the inevitable historical and political outcome and the way out of the Island's tragedy and catastrophe. The present political clique running the Island vehemently resists this change because it means for them the loss of their political power and a power to steal. The Puerto Rican people and the US Congress have to make their moves.

There has been an interesting flood of news regarding military developments between east and west during the last several weeks. None of that news is good and has great implications for the United States and her territories including Puerto Rico.

Vladimir Putin has been testing the limits of his military with invasions of Crimea and ‘test’ nuclear bombing runs over U.S. territories including Guam. This week a Russian fighter jet nearly collidedwith a US spy plane over international airspace. Joint U.S. and NATO war games a have coincided with Russian war games near the Baltic states of Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania.

On the other side of Asia, China is stepping up its military in a very fast and very determined manner with the primary intention being a conflict with the United States over Taiwan and with regional foes over access to and ownership of resources in the South China Sea. The military buildup has put the Chinese in the arena of the world’s top Navies with over 300 surface ships and submarines and new expensive and dangerous weapons.

It doesn’t help that china is also developing hyper-sonic long range missiles and supersonic anti-surface ship missiles and have already deployed an anti-aircraft carrier ballistic missile. China’s build up and Russia’s aggressiveness are for a decidedly specific purpose: to engage and take down the United States and all of her territories.

Yes, Puerto Rico; that includes you.

In many ways, the military cooperation between the two eastern superpowers is a shadow version of the Reagan cold war strategy. Rapid military build up aimed at forcing the other side to build up in such a way to destroy their economy. It is a thoughtful plan that can only be executed when the other country is already weakened as in the case of the former USSR.

While China may have other motives; the return of Taiwan and control of the region, it is still using good old fashioned American capitalism to get the job done. While China remains a communist country, their economic system is now state capitalism and it is working.

The U.S. meanwhile, burdened by a staggering 18 trillion dollar debt and 61 trillion dollar total debt (and major defense cut backs) cannot match the build up ship for ship or plane for plane against one of these superpowers, much less both. By engaging the US in eastern Europe, Russia is keeping America busy and worried enough to keep them off the focus of China’s next move.

The U.S. is further weakened by the inconsistencies of the Obama administrations foreign policy. The U.S. has alienated its most critical allies under Obama while setting up friendship ties with the world’s worst countries namely Iran and Cuba. Although one might wonder, if the Obama administrations decision to open up to Cuba and Iran may actually be a part of a Cold War type strategy to build relationships to offset the influence of Russia.

Either way, Puerto Rico as a territory or state of the United States risks becoming directly involved in any war that may develop. With no military installations of any significant size left on the island, Puerto Rico would have a very difficult time defending itself in the case of all out war.

While independence has been traditionally supported by communist forces, ( this author is a conservative/libertarian and proud capitalist) an independent and constitutionally declared neutral Puerto Rico would be the only way to save the lives of millions of Puerto Ricans who would otherwise be targets of opportunity in a war with the American republic.

A lot has been said about the recent news reports about Puerto Ricans being arrested for Social Security Disability fraud. That investigation and those arrests were appropriate and will serve to deter others from committing such fraud in the future. Fraud hurts all of those who need those benefits.

Meanwhile, a lot has been also been reported on Puerto Ricans getting disability because they couldn’t speak English even though the commonwealth education department receives billions in federal tax dollars. That simply proves again that throwing money at a problem is not the solution. It also proves the insanity of big government.

The Social Security Administration however, has another problem. Its problem is named inequality, otherwise known as discrimination. More specifically it relates to how the SSA refuses to pay benefits or is paying lower benefits to American citizens just because they move to or live in Puerto Rico.

Allow me to explain. If you pay into Social Security all your life and retire or become disabled, you get paid by social security a full set of benefits. If you earn below a certain amount or your benefits are low you can also receive Supplemental Security Income or SSI. This is the same for working class people and the rich and the poor. It is also true in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Regardless of whether you were born in Puerto Rico or in the mainland United States if you move to Puerto Rico while on Social Security and associated programs, your benefits drop. This is just because Puerto Rico is a territory and the U.S. Congress has not made an adjustment to ensure the American citizens of Puerto Rico are treated equally with their fellow citizens virtually world wide.

A Social Security retirement recipient can move to nearly any country on the earth and get their full retirement benefits. There are a few exceptions; for example, North Korea, Cuba, Vietnam and the former Soviet States not including Russia. Wait, what????

So Puerto Rico, a part of the United States for more than 100 years; is listed just above North Korea when it comes to social security benefits, but Puerto Ricans are listed below Venezuela, Argentina, and Sandanista controled Nicarauga? Puerto Ricans can go to Africa with few exceptions, India, even Afghanistan; and receive full retirement benefits, but not at home?

Across from the Capital building in Puerto Rico is a very solemn memorial. A half circle black wall that lists the names of all Puerto Rican’s who have died fighting in American wars. Does their blood count for less than other Americans?

Social Security’s answer is yes. The blood of Puerto Ricns is worth far less. Despite denials, social security retirement benefits are lower for people living in Puerto Rico.

The discrimination extends to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. No one living outside the United States can receive SSI. Anyone residing in Puerto Rico and USVI can not receive SSI because despite their sacrifice and paying into the tax system both territories are considered ‘outside the US.’ Meanwhile, residents of the Northern Marianas islands CAN receive SSI even though that territory is much farther away from the U.S. mainland. How does this make sense?

The irony is that social security taxes and associated programs are the only federal income based taxes that residents in Puerto Rico are charged. That is to say they pay just like any other American, but get treated less than American’s living abroad. While many will call this a status issue and have a valid point, this is a matter of discrimination against individuals who have paid the tax and are then being shorted benefits.

Whether you support statehood, independence or continued commonwealth it is high time to demand equal treatment for all U.S. citizens residing in the American commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is right for the federal government go after those who get benefits illegally, but isn’t it wrong to refuse to pay benefits to those who have played by the rules and paid their share of the tax burden?

»Equality Is the Issue for Puerto Rico22/04/15 19:06 from Mike Nova's Shared Newslinksmikenova shared this story from Puerto Rico Report. By now, it is probable that everyone concerned about Puerto Rico’s status has seen , read about, and discussed John Oliver’s take on voting rights in U.S. territories. Julio Ricardo Var...

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